In our dreams
by AniZH
Summary: Everyone has a soulmate and you start meeting in your dreams roughly ten years before you meet in real life. It barely happens that you have your dreams before you even hit puberty – Beck and Jade see each other for the first time when they're only five years old.


Hello, everyone!  
Finally, here comes another story by me. Like a whole new one. It's a one shot that's quite long.  
I don't often write AU's, but I like quite a few. The one I love most is the soulmate AU. Any soulmate AU, really. I already wrote a short one shot in such an AU – it's named The name on your wrist and from the beginning of 2016 already. I plan a longer story about that AU in the future, but for now, I did another soulmate AU. Not with names written on your wrists but with dreams you have about your soulmates.  
I hope anyone is interested and if so: I wish you much fun reading this!

* * *

She sees him for the first time when she's five years old.

They're in sort of a room together, but it's a large room and they're far away from each other. She can't even see who it is. She only sees that there's another kid. She doesn't try talking to it or walking up to it. Most other kids don't like her much and she doesn't want to send this one running. Somehow, the presence calms her down.

So, she just stands there, enjoying it, silently, until she wakes up the next morning.

.

.

He has a smile on his face when he wakes up. He tried so hard to get to the other child in that room, but he couldn't get any closer to it, no matter how fast he ran. He tried to talk to it, to call out for it, but no sound came over his lips.

He thinks he should feel frustrated, but somehow he doesn't. He feels weirdly comforted instead. By being with that other person.

He tries to recreate that feeling over the next few days. He tries to find that feeling of comfort inside of himself when he's playing with his friends at preschool or when he's lying in his mother's arm. But it's not the same.

.

o

.

They don't see each other often. Barely once a month.

It happens, especially when Jade has had a bad day. It makes her sleep better than every other night.

When she's seven, she comes home from school. Her mother's home for a change. She and her father work a lot. Someone's always there for her, one of them or her nanny. She tries to not care too much about it.

Today, she's glad her mother's there. She has to tell her something.

When they're sitting at the table, Jade entrusts her with the realization she had in school today: "I've seen my soulmate."

Their teacher told them about soulmates today. Everyone knows that everyone has one. Jade didn't know that you met in your dreams before you met in real life. Her parents have never talked about it with her. She thought that was a TV thing.

For many, it happens during their teens or in their twenties, their teacher said. First, you would only see them from far away but they would get closer as your first meeting drew closer. At some point you would be able to talk to each other but not to share anything about your life like your name or the place you live. If you would try giving too many hints about who you are, you would wake up.

Statistics show that most soulmates meet in real life roughly ten years after they first dreamt of each other.

But they shouldn't worry if they don't dream of their soulmates in their teens, their teacher said. Everyone meets their soulmate at a different time – not to mention that they could be living in another time zone and therefore sleep at another time. Then, you'll barely see them in your dreams before meeting in real life, it's said.

Jade knows that that other kid, which she recognizes to be a boy her age by now, that has gotten somewhat closer since their first encounter, must be her soulmate.

"Nonsense," her mother answers. "Where do you think you have seen them?"

"In my dreams. For two years now," Jade says. She's used to her parents not taking her seriously, but her mother has to understand that this is the truth and very serious, right?

Her mother slightly shakes her head. "You're too young. Just because you invent some person in your dreams, doesn't mean you're seeing your soulmate. That's more like an invisible friend."

Jade presses her lips together. There's nothing invisible about that boy. Is there?

.

To prove her mother wrong, she desperately tries to meet the boy in her dreams again. But it's only three weeks later that she's finally back in that room.

He's closer again and this time, she tries walking up to him and talking to him. But no step she takes brings her closer. And when she opens her mouth, she finds herself unable to speak.

The boy sees her trying and shrugs. She wonders if he has tried getting to her before. He was so far away in the beginning that she wouldn't have seen his movements.

He makes signs but she doesn't see anything. His hands are suddenly blurry.

She signs herself and sees realization in his eyes and he shrugs again.

Well, then they won't get to communicate above shrugging their shoulders. Not yet. Jade wonders if they ever will be able to. Somehow, she knows she wouldn't even get frustrated if they never would.

.

.

It's his secret. The girl in his dreams is his secret. Some mornings, his mother asks him why he's in such a good mood. He doesn't notice anything himself. But he also doesn't tell.

He doesn't know why he's not telling. He knows it's fine to talk about it with his parents. He also knows it's decent if you don't blab on about it to your friends, when you start getting these dreams. His parents had several talks about it with him. About how you should be sensitive, about how everyone meets their soulmate at a different time and how some people feel bad if they don't know their soulmate yet while you already dream of them.

But his parents have found each other. They told him, as soon as he would start dreaming of his soulmate, he's more than welcome to tell them about it. But that he also shouldn't feel bad if it won't happen for a few more decades.

They told him the last time one year ago – when he has already dreamt of his soulmate for a year.

He knows she's his soulmate. He knew when he dreamt of her the second time. When he didn't even know if it was a boy or a girl. Because his parents told him about their meetings in their dreams since he can remember. Those were his bedtime stories. How they saw each other for the first time without really seeing each other. He didn't understand but loved to see the light in their eyes when they talked about it.

When he dreamt of that girl the first time, he didn't realize what happened. But when he was in that room for the second time, it somehow came to him. He was seeing that person without really seeing. And was this comfortable feeling around the other person... love?

Not everything is like his parents told him. They always told him about the great time they spent together in their dreams. Time they still spend together. They told him about how they look into each other's eyes for hours and smile at each other.

This isn't his parents' story. This is his and that of this girl. This girl that barely smiles at him but often looks at him with narrowed eyes, checking him out, sizing him up. He returns that look. He loves looking at her, taking her in. He doesn't need her to smile at him to be somewhat happy inside. Though her smile is wonderful and whenever she gives him one for one reason or another, sometimes with a cocked eyebrow when he randomly pulls a face, he wakes up with the biggest grin the next morning.

His parents shared with him all those stories out of their dreams. He doesn't want to share. This girl is just for him. Their dreams are only for them.

.

o

.

It's strange, every time she's back. She expects to get bored of it. To get bored of that room and that boy. Especially as they can't even talk. Though maybe it's better if they don't talk. If Jade has learned one thing over the nine years of her life, it's that most people show their stupidity as soon as they open their mouths. She gets annoyed by most things said around her.

So, maybe it's for the best that the boy and she can't talk. And the thing is: It doesn't get boring. She's weirdly happy, every time she's back. Though there's nothing else to do than to look at each other.

By now, they're relatively close. They could hear each other easily by now, if they could talk at all. They can also move around a bit. Not much closer to each other, but further away, if they feel like it.

Sometimes, they turn around, stop looking at each other. They instead take in the room, which changes all the time but starts to look more and more like an actual room. Jade's sure to remember that it was just sort of a white space, back when they first met. It's almost like a living room by now.

But mostly, they look at each other, ignoring everything around them. It's weird, because she knows how this boy looks by now. She knows how he holds himself and what kind of faces he can pull. She has looked at him for ages by now, as there's no time in this room. It always feels like ages and yet like no time has passed at all, especially as there's no tiredness or hunger in this room, no hurt legs from the standing, nothing.

She starts wondering who this boy might be. She starts to invent stories in her head about him and is sure he's nothing like that at all. It will disappoint her if they'll ever get to speak but... well... She knows about disappointment.

This night, he suddenly smiles at her. It comes out of nowhere. He has tried to tentatively smile at her before, often. This time, it's warm and pure and full. For some reason, she can't help but also smile, though it's only a small smile for her, trying to hide it, because it somehow throws her off. Nobody has ever smiled at her like this. Not that she can remember. It makes her feel incredibly warm inside.

.

.

He notices her clothing style change and he rather likes it.

They never wear their pajamas in their dreams. Beck notices, he also barely wears what he wore that same day. But he always wears some clothes he has in his closet. His usual style. So, this girl must too.

She grows out of her kid clothes, much faster than he does, and starts wearing much darker colors. It fits. It fits her, in his opinion, though he doesn't even know who she is.

It's weird but he feels like he knows her in a lot of ways. He can't wait to find out more about her.

And he will. He knows he will. This girl is his soulmate. He will know everything about her one day. She'll be in his life until the very end. Like it's supposed to be.

And though he's only nine years old and his life seems so eternal and endless for him, though the thought of her always being there could seem suffacating, it calms him down instead.

It even makes him smile, like just now. And he notices her smiling back and that makes him immensely happy. She never smiled at him quite like this. But her smile is wonderful and pure and how can he achieve her looking like this all the time?

He wonders if he'll ever know what to say to make her smile like this. Will he have all the right words to make her laugh, as soon as they can talk to each other? He hopes so. There's already something inside of him that wants to be perfect for her. Some thrive inside of him to make her happy. Maybe, because she's already making him happy, just by standing here with him and looking at him.

.

o

.

Jade's eleven years old, when she has a big fight with her father. She got the lead in a school play and her father told her she couldn't do it. It would take too much of her time.

She promised him her grades wouldn't suffer but he told her that this whole acting stuff is nonsense.

The fight got louder with every sentence said. Jade felt more than insulted. She knows she wants to be an actress. She has had fun on stage in those three plays she had been in until now. Her father has no idea.

He gets furious by her telling him that she wants to persue this. As if she insulted him.

Her mother watches them fight and only speaks up when Jade's father leaves (like he does when he gets really angry at her). She says she'll sort it out and that Jade shouldn't worry. Yeah, great. Instead of standing up for Jade right there, right then, she might talk to him later. Instead of taking the heat and protecting Jade...

No, she doesn't care. She tells herself, she doesn't care. But she cries herself to sleep.

And then, suddenly, she's back in that stupid room. As if she needs that right now! She wants to sleep and nothing more. She wants to be unconcious, to not keep thinking about her father's harsh words and his and her mother's stupidity. She'll have to deal with more of it the next day anyway. Her mother'll talk to her father eventually and he won't want to fight with her, so he'll let it go, but he'll still tell Jade how disappointed he is in her and her choices.

She needs a few hours of calm, of not... being anywhere.

Instead, she's back in this stupid room with this stupid boy. Great!

And what does she care what he'll think of her? No, she doesn't cry in front of other people, hasn't been ever since she was about three years old. But she's angry and desperate now and she can't stand looking at that stupid boy right now, and somehow, she sinks down on the chair, she's standing next to this time, and starts to cry. Full and ugly, not caring about the boy or anything.

Suddenly, there's a stranger's voice: "What's going on?"

She looks up. The boy stands in front of her, a good step away, undoubtedly can't get any closer. But he has said those words and she heard them.

She stares up at him and he looks surprised himself.

"Am I able to speak?" he asks. "Can you hear me?"

This can't be happening. She can't deal with this right now. With them suddenly being able to talk, after years and years of silence.

"Piss off," she therefore says, trying to wipe her tears away, because suddenly, she does care. Suddenly, he's so much more... there than before.

The boy tilts his head ever so slightly and there's almost a smile in his face. "Well, that wasn't what I expected my soulmate's first words to me to be."

Yeah, soulmates, great.

She tries a smirk. "Maybe, I'm not your soulmate."

"Yeah, that'll be it," the boy easily answers. "The universe probably made a mistake putting us here together."

And with her parents being who they are, she has to say: "Don't act like it can't be a mistake. The way my parents act around each other, I'm sure mistakes can happen."

The boy looks curious. "How do they act around each other?"

Where to start? It's not like they spend much time together, instead they're constantly working. Whenever they are talking, they... don't seem to enjoy each other at all. They always seem to force themselves to keep their calm and make compromises to be able to live with each other at all. If they're soulmates, shouldn't it be different? Shouldn't they be able to be totally honest?

And yeah, sometimes, there are calm moments. It happened in the past, that Jade came into the living room at night when she should've already been in bed, and her parents sat on the couch together, talking with the sweetest smiles on their faces, captured by each other. But those moments are rare, she knows. It only happens if they have way too much time at their hands. They don't have that much time, mostly. Instead, they force themselves to be good to each other. Instead of actually being good or at least letting out what's wrong.

But she won't tell this boy all that. Instead: "Let's just say: There's not much love and I think the reason they're staying together is because they're soulmates. Who knows if that isn't the reason for all of them. To get and to stay together."

She thought about that for a while. About how forced some relationships seem, even if those couples claim they're soulmates. What if they only get together because they think they should?

She read about it since. Mostly everyone dates in their teens. Some say, you shouldn't if you already dreamt of your soulmate. But most say it's fine. If you feel like dating, you should. Destiny will bring you together with your soulmate if you just act like you feel.

And Jade read how some people get together, maybe even long grown up and feel like they're in love. And then, when they meet their actual soulmate it changes and they realize they have never really been in love before.

But who says they aren't only telling themselves that? What if you can fall in love with other people and only think you should love that one person more and force yourself into that? Who says that those people, having been in love with someone else, wouldn't have been happier with that other person?

Not to mention that sometimes, people find each other after loosing their soulmates and also say they feel a special kind of love for each other. Yes, not the same as for their soulmtes but still special. What if they just don't dare to say they loved their soulmates less because they think that would betray them?

They boy looks at her, strangely. She's sure he has never thought about anything like that. But after a while, he says: "I swear that I'll only be together with you if I really want to."

Somehow, she finds that a beautiful, relieving promise and she can't help but smile.

.

.

The girl has a rough voice that he somehow likes to hear. It's raw and makes it easily believable somehow.

And though he totally expected their first talk to go so differently, after all the stories he heard... he doesn't feel bad about it. What he feels bad about are her tears. He somehow never would've expected to see her cry. She doesn't appear like someone who cries a lot, especially in front of others. But there she sat in front of him and did.

She isn't crying anymore. She's smiling now, apparently liked what he said, which is amazing. But it doesn't make him forget about her tears.

"Anyway," he therefore says. "What's going on?"

Promptly, a disgruntled look shows on the girl's face again. "My father's an ass, that's what's going on."

Beck finds he already doesn't like him. He doesn't know who that man is. He barely knows who this girl is. But if he makes this girl, that makes Beck feel so comfortable, cry and makes her doubt the whole soulmate-thing, together with his wife, though it's a universal truth... he must be an ass.

"I'm sorry," Beck earnestly says.

The girl raises her eyebrows. "Are you my father?"

Well... "I'm not," he answers but he can still be sorry, right? He still feels bad for her after all.

She promptly asks though: "What are you sorry for then?"

And that's that for her. That's the moment he learns that she doesn't care about politeness or about phrases. Though he hasn't meant it as a phrase. He does feel sorry for her. But she doesn't want or need that.

And though it's not the way he was raised, he somehow... finds it easy to be with her like this. Her not giving a damn about politeness makes it easy to be around her, he'll realize. At least for him, it will take a lot of unseen pressure away. Her being straight forward will make everything so easy for him.

For now, he just shrugs as an answer and then: "Wanna talk about it?"

She looks at him for a moment, like they have looked at each other for years now. Finally, she does start talking about it.

She talks about this play she wants to do, which her father doesn't approve of. He tries to get behind the reasons her father doesn't like it but the only reason seems to be that she hates the arts in general and doesn't want his daughter close to any of that.

"At least he cares about you," is the only thing Beck can say about it though he knows that's poor consolation.

But the girl doesn't call him out for it, instead only shrugs and maybe, she does see comfort in that.

Well, Beck doesn't know what else to say about this topic and the girl also seems done talking about it, has long dried her face and seems grumpy more than sad. He wants to cheer her up again by changing the topic.

He's actually fascinated that she wants to do a play. He has done plays and loves it. He wants to ask which one she's doing but he the words don't come out of his mouth. Okay, apparently he can't ask for more details on the play she wants to do. But maybe he can find out more about her acting.

So, he asks if she's acted before which she confirms.

"Awesome. I've also been in two plays," he says with a happy grin.

The girl looks up, surprised. "Really?"

They talk about it until they wake up. Not about their specific plays because they find they can't, but about how much fun acting is for each of them, what they enjoy most about it, how they each learn their lines.

When Beck wakes up, he knows he has to find out when his school will do their next play. The fire inside the girl's eyes as she talked about the fun of it, reminded him of the fire he himself felt during those times acting. He wants to do so much more of it now.

.

o

.

They're both 13 and by now they meet in their dreams every two weeks. They have talked a whole lot but somehow, there's still so much more to talk about, even without being able to say anything too specific about their own lives.

They found out they have very much in common. And they also learned new things they liked through the other one.

They both like all sorts of arts and easily inspire each other. They also realized that they have a similiar taste in music. They both listen to the charts and everything but somehow, they're both more into older music.

Beck has also learned that the girl loves to sing, but he has never heard her at it. He himself also enjoyed singing for himself, growing up. Then, over a year ago, his voice started to break and... it's fine when he talks but he found it horrible mostly when he sang. He tried for himself every other month as he wanted to suggest for them to sing together. He thought he couldn't just ask the girl to sing something for him. But singing together is different.

He finally feels comfortable with his voice at the moment, though it still breaks in the weirdest moments and isn't fully done changing at all. He doesn't think he'll totally embarrass himself anymore, singing with the girl.

It's after they talked again about songs they love very much, while not many people around them seem to know them. Like Walk on the Wild Side by Lou Reed, which even is one of the songs Beck's parents don't want him to know.

Beck plays the guitar for a while now and this song is really easy to play. He knows it would be great fun to play it and sing it together with this girl. He's sure, the girl's voice is able to handle much more than this song but it will be a start.

He's happy when he wakes back up in the room. He closes his eyes back up for a moment, before he turns around and finds, as expected, a guitar on the floor behind him.

He smiles and takes it.

"How did you get that?" the girl asks, without a greeting. She hasn't looked to him right away, apparently. Instead, she has sat down on the couch.

Their room always has this couch by now, a really comfortable one, and they're able to sit quite close together on it. They aren't able to touch, but they mostly sit so close while talking that they accidently would touch all the time if they would be able to.

He also sits down in his usual spot, putting the guitar in his lap, explaining with a grin: "This is like the Room of Requirement." He has thought that for a while. This must be where the author got it from.

"Was that a Harry Potter reference? Really?" the girl asks with raised eyebrows.

Beck smirks. "Don't say you don't like Harry Potter."

That's something they haven't really talked about yet. But who doesn't like Harry Potter?

"I never said that but I wouldn't have thought you're a nerd," she claims.

But she pretty much said she liked Harry Potter too, just now. So... "Are you one?" Is she a nerd?

He's teasing. And he knows that she knows it.

"No," he says with that harshness in her voice that he's so used to, and yet with a small smirk.

.

She guesses he's a little bit of a nerd. Maybe, she knew that all along. He's interested and engulfed in a lot of things, obviously also in nerdy things.

But anyway... "What's with the guitar?"

The boy smiles one of his easy smiles. "I thought we could sing together. I'm sure you're better on the piano than me on the guitar but I do know what to play for Walk on the Wild Side."

She told him she played piano when they talked about instruments. She's also sure she's better at it than the boy on the guitar. If only because she plays it for some more years than the boy his own instrument.

But she's more than willing to hear him play; and also for them to sing something together. She's curious how his voice (that changed since they first spoke) can sound like, singing. And she's actually quite sure their voices work well together. They have the same... raw quality to it, somehow.

And she loves the song, which the boy knows. Just as he loves the song. They know so many things the other one loves by now. They also have talked endlessly after all, have been together for so much time. They haven't always talked when they have been in the room together. Sometimes, they also have resumed their looking at each other. It never got weird. Not here, in their very own place. Jade's sure that it'll be different, if they ever meet in real life. But this is somehow... a safe space. A space that's not really a space, that doesn't have time. Things are different here.

She wonders if she will feel this comfortable around this boy when they meet in real life. She wonders if she feels the same warmth when he will smile at her for real, like he does right now. She wonders if she will feel so safe, like she does when they look into each other's eyes now, the boy starting to strum the guitar, and they start to sing in perfect harmony.

.

o

.

Though there aren't any small children here, the school is much louder and has more colors than his elementary and middle school. Well, this isn't a normal high school. This is Hollywood Arts, a school full of, as the name says, artistic people.

It's still his first day and Beck's trying to find his way. He met the boy who has a locker close to his who seems awesome and easy going. He's sure that that boy will become a friend.

He's seeing him now, back at their blank lockers, and thinks about shortly talking to him before searching for the room for his next class. Maybe the boy, Andre, even has the same class next.

He forgets all about it, when he notices a girl walking past him. He has only seen her out of the corner of his eye. He turns around to look after her before he knows why. But... Wait. Can it be...?

He stops, looking at the back of her head. Even the back of her head he knows. They spent so damn much time together. But... Can it seriously be?

He would've never counted on meeting her on his first day at Hollywood Arts. He did the math in his head and thought that they'd probably meet for real in a year or so. He guessed that they must meet outside of school or maybe because their schools would do projects together. Or maybe the girl would move and get to Hollywood Arts because of that – or his parents would move with him and he would get into her school.

But... Here she is. Here is the girl he has dreamt off so often. The girl he has already spent so many hours with, that he has talked to and laughed with. The girl that's his soulmate.

His lips become dry and his heart beats immensely fast and hard, as he quickly follows her, calling out: "Hey. Hey, there."

Jade knows that voice. She knows it from somewhere, but doesn't know from where. She's just trying to get through her day, has just now checked her timetable again to know where she has to be next. She somehow knows though that this person is calling out for her and gets slightly annoyed by being talked to in this way

She knows the voice but she doesn't have time thinking about it, as she stops and turns.

When she sees him, her eyes widen.

Beck comes to a halt in front of her. Wow. Here they are.

"Oh, shit," she finally murmurs, looking him up and down. She also never would've expected to meet him here, now. Maybe, deep inside of her, she never expected to meet him for real. Even after all those hours, he sometimes seemed like a figment of her imaginiation to her. Sometimes, she also wished he was, because then reality could have never swooped in to possibly destroy all those beautiful hours in her dreams.

Beck can't help but smile. Of course, those are the first words he hears her say in real life. "It's also nice to meet you." He extends his hand and slowly says: "Hi. I'm Beck."

He can say his name. He can introduce himself. Not that he ever tried doing that in their dreams but they both always knew that they wouldn't be able to do it before meeting in real life. Every now and then, it happened that someone wanted to reference their real life with names of family or the place they lived or alike and always got stopped there. It happened surprisingly rarely though, considering how much time they spent talking, also about all the things they loved.

But even if they barely felt restricted in their dreams... now there really are no restrictions anymore. They can introduce themselves. And they can touch.

Jade takes his hand that feels so warm and just right in her own, shaking it. So, Beck is his name. She never would've guessed that and it's weird to finally have a name attached to him, after he just was... 'that boy' for years in her head. But the name fits somehow.

"Jade," she says and Beck repeats quietly: "Jade." As if it's the most beautiful word he has ever heard.

For a long moment, they look at each other, holding each other's hands, then they finally let go and Jade asks, cocking an eyebrow: "Now what?"

Well, yeah, now what? Neither of them ever thought about what they would do after they first met in real life.

"Now..." Beck starts slowly. "Where's your locker?" So he knows where to definitely find her.

She lazily points at a locker not too far from where they stopped. "There. Yours?"

He points to his own which is just across the hall. "We're close."

Jade nods, looks over to the way he points, then to his other hand in which he holds his time table. "What're your classes?"

She holds her own time table for him to see and he holds his next to it. They quickly and silently compare their classes and Beck's the one to say: "Quite a few together." So, they'll definitely spend time together.

The bell rings and everyone starts making their way to their classes.

Jade looks back into his eyes, as she says: "We should get to our next classes. But apparently, we'll see each other again."

They'll have an acting class together at the end of today and then a lot of more classes during the week – also during the whole school year. But they also see each other elsewhere, no matter what. That's what Beck's thinking about as he says with a grin: "We definitely will." In their dreams.

Jade understands what she's getting at and smirks. "Idiot." And with that, she leaves him standing there. He follows her with his eyes for a moment, before he finally tries to find his way to his own next class.

.

.

He sits next to Andre during his next class and talks some more with him and with a few other people over the day, also with a boy called Robbie.

He passes Jade two times in the hallways and they always catch each other's eye but don't say a word.

At lunch, Beck sits with a few guys, Andre and Robbie with him, but he looks out for Jade and finds her on another table with a girl he thinks is named Cat and two others that seem to talk among themselves though. Cat is the one talking with Jade. Or at her. Jade seems relatively non-responsive. Well, she often is. He knows that from a lot of hours talking to her.

He can't help but grin.

After lunch, they have their acting class together, with Andre, Robbie and Cat as well. Only after that, Beck walks up to talk to Jade again. He hurries behind her after she's the first to leave the classroom (behind their very weird teacher named Sikowitz). At her locker, he finally catches up to her.

"Hello again," he says with a smile.

She turns to him and tilts her head a tiny bit. "Hey."

Well, that's her way of inviting him to talk to her, he knows.

And as he also knows that she isn't one to beat around the bush (and as he enjoys that incredibly much), he gets right to the point: "Wanna go out?"

"Sure," she says with a shrug. "Let's see where this leads us. I'm free next Saturday."

He can't help but smile. "Okay. Where do you live?"

They pick a sushi place close to her home for their very first date.

.

.

They don't meet each other in their dreams until their date and also barely talk in school (except shortly saying 'hi' in passing or alike). They also both have to find their way in the new school and start making new friends. Independent on each other because neither feels like only having the other one to talk to in this school – and only because they are apparently soulmates.

But they're both there on the agreed time, at the sushi place.

It's not like it's their first date at all. It's like they've been on hundred of these. Well, they kind of have. They've talked like this endlessly in their dreams. This time, they just refer so much more to details of their lives, especially they of course talk a lot about Hollywood Arts and what they think of all their classes and teachers so far.

Yet, it's like it is their first date. It's not the same as in their dreams. Because... it's more real. It feels different in a lot of ways. It feels... better. It's almost like they are only echoes in their dreams and to now have the real person in front of you...

They're long done eating when they're still talking. They talk about a movie now that gets released the next week.

And why not go there together? "Let's go see that for our next date," Beck suggests.

Jade raises her eyebrows. "Have we already agreed on a second date?"

"Come on," he directly responds. "We're having fun, no?"

He already got that she doesn't just want this to happen because it has to happen or alike. She doesn't want to force herself into anything because 'it's meant to be'.

He also doesn't want this because it's meant to be. He does want to keep his promise he made when they first spoke. To only be together with her if he wants to be. He also wants her to only be with him if she wants to be.

But this was a great first date. He had a few before, to be honest. His parents, as conservative as the are, find dating okay. If he absolutely wants to, he's also allowed a girlfriend. But they said that it'd probably be better for him to stop dating around as soon as he meets his soulmate in his dreams for the first time. That's how they did it and that's how it's supposed to be. Well... He again didn't tell them that he already met his soulmate in his dreams.

He got in the mood for dating though a year ago and decided to go for it. He also didn't want to be totally inexperienced whenever he would meet the girl of his dreams. So, he also already had his first kiss. From their talks in their dreams he gathers that Jade did already too.

Anyway... He can't imagine Jade having connected with anyone like this before. He definitely hasn't.

But she remains hesitant and he makes sure to say: "We don't have to be exclusive. Let's do this for real." Like other people fall in love that aren't soulmates. "We start to date but still can look around. There're a lot of other people at Hollywood Arts."

She looks at him for a moment. It's like she has often looked at him before, but only in their dreams. It's more piercing this time.

And finally, she says: "Sounds good."

.

.

They can touch in their dreams now. They realize that after their second date. They said goodbye after it with a very passionate kiss (after the first date it was a rather tame one, which was incredible nonetheless). And as soon as both of them have fallen asleep in each their beds that same night, they wake back up in their little room.

"So, destiny decided, we didn't spend enough time together today?" Jade says in her dry tone of voice.

Beck grins. "We totally didn't. Curfew came way too early."

But they still had a four hour date as they met so early. So, obviously, they had a lot of time. But Beck doesn't mind being back here. He really enjoys his time with Jade.

Jade smirks too and both sit down on the couch. As usual, they sit down quite close. But this time, as they shift to look at each other, they accidently touch.

"Oh," Beck makes brushing up against Jade once more. "This is different."

They can touch now. Even here, in their dreams.

She keeps smirking and dryly says: "Exciting."

Well, it kind of is for him because that makes these dreams closer to reality. A reality they now also enjoy with each other. But that's Jade, talking like this, not enthusiastic about it.

Anway... He asks: "Did you still google if that was the same voice actor?"

On their date they talked about shows they watched when they were kids, especially cartoons, and he was sure that two of the characters in those shows had the same actors, which Jade didn't want to believe.

Instead of googling it on the spot (like he usually does with those kind of things as it's so easy nowadays), she told him she'll look it up and told him about other actors, she knew for a fact voiced different characters.

"I did," she confirmed and then goes on to tell him that he was right and that that actor not only voiced those two characters but one from another show they talked about as well.

.

.

It's weird because she feels as comfortable around him in real life as in their dreams. Maybe even a little more. She likes his smile and the look in his eye. And his touch.

The topics they talk about are still endless, though they can also be in silence with each other, even on their dates, like in their dreams, without it becoming awkward.

They bicker sometimes, but it's never too serious. Instead, it's weirdly deliberating, because it never... hurts them. And it's almost like both of them need some of the bickering, as if they need to let their feelings out in that way. Especially Beck, who never dared talking to anyone like he sometimes does to Jade now. But Jade's able to take it. And Jade enjoys that he doesn't hold back around her, that he's honest in his feelings in front of her, that he's true to himself.

The thing is: She really starts to like Beck. She's really... falling in love with him.

Beck meanwhile... flirts around. She isn't sure how much he dates around (she has gone on a few other dates since meeting him but she hasn't cared for it at all anymore). She does see how much he's flirting. It irks her. She starts getting jealous when she has to witness it and even starts to fight with him one time about a date idea he had, which she would've liked, but she saw him flirt with another girl in front of his locker before.

They've known each other for real and dated each other for four months, when she decides she can't stand this anymore. It's enough.

He's again at his locker this morning and talks to two girls who're both very much flirting with him. And no, he doesn't seem interested in them. She knows him. She knows every look on his face. He has barely ever looked interested in any of the girls flirting with him – he has smiled at almost all of them anyway and kind of flirted back. Because that's who he is.

She knows that. She knows him. And she doesn't want anyone else to ever know him like she does.

She has never felt this jealous about anything in her life. But she does now. And finally, she acts on it.

She throws her locker shut, after watching Beck with those two girls for a moment and then walks up to him without hesitating any longer.

Beck notices her coming before the girls do and then, Jade's already with them and promptly kisses Beck in a total possessive manner. Because he does belong to her.

He kisses back, as passionately as he always does. She knows he likes them kissing as much as she does.

It takes a long while for them to break apart again and as soon as they do, Jade decides: "Let's be exclusive."

He smiles, so much more truthful than at the other girls before. "I can call you my girlfriend?"

She nods, looking him directly in the eye. Like they've done since they were little children but it's so different these days. They found comfort in each other since forever. But it's way more than comfort nowadays.

"Jade," Beck says. He must feel the same, does he even use the name that he didn't know for so long while looking into her eyes like this. "I love you."

She forgets about the girls that must be directly behind her, witnessing them getting together. She forgets that they're in the middle of school. She forgets about everyone and everything but Beck and his words.

Suddenly, it's a bit like they're in their dreams, in their own space, where nobody exists but them. Just that it's... somehow real this time. They aren't in their dreams but fully awake, and yet, it's just them.

Jade kisses him again, more desperate this time, then she whispers: "I love you, too."

His smile is worth everything and makes her smile too.

.

.

They kiss for the first time in their dreams when they meet there a few days after getting together. They have pretty much kissed all the time when seeing each other since they've got together, now suddenly also spending much more time together in school, because they're a couple now, not just randomly dating each other.

They kiss for a long time, when they meet in their dreams again, only for Jade to notice afterwards: "Well, this isn't as good as when we do it for real."

"That's true," Beck agrees because it isn't somehow. It almost feels a bit dull, while every of their other kisses have been pure magic. And yet... "I still think we should give it another try. When we're absolutely sure it isn't as good, I'd like to know how your classes were the last few days."

She smirks. "We totally should make sure first it's not as good." And she pulls him into another kiss.

.

.

They finally introduce each other to their parents. As boyfriend and girlfriend.

Her parents don't care too much though her father tells her afterwards that he expects her to hold her good grades despite the relationship. Whatever.

His parents are different. He expected them to be hesitant when he didn't tell them beforehand that they would meet his soulmate. After all, they are conservative and don't like him getting too close to someone they think isn't his soulmate.

But his parents aren't acting bad about the fact that he has a girlfriend – but about who that girlfriend is. They behave around Jade though their looks already tell a lot. And as soon as Jade leaves, Beck's mother asks him if she's kidding them. Having a girlfriend might be fine, though they aren't fans of being in a relationship with anyone but your soulmate, but... this girl? This girl of all people?

He doesn't get it. Jade is wonderful. She is beautiful and amibitious. She is opinionated and tough. She is smart and has the darkest and yet funniest comments ready.

Her mother doesn't like the way she dresses and how she talks and promptly asks him to break up with her.

He says some really bad words to her after that. He doesn't say anything about Jade being his soulmate. It shouldn't matter.

.

They do meet in their dreams that same night and somehow, he can't help but tell her about his parents' reactions to her. He knows he shouldn't. It can only hurt her. But... They tell each other everything. They do, ever since they're able to talk in this space. He can't keep secrets from her.

She also isn't angry at him for telling her, but takes it in her stride and smirks about it and makes disregarding comments, cheering him up a bit.

.

.

One month later, Jade has been over again. Just now, she and Beck are in the process of leaving the house though to still go the movies.

Somehow, they started kissing in the doorway, as if to say goodbye though they're leaving together. And like so often, Beck can't help himself when they break apart. With a smile, he says: "I love you so much, Jade."

He can't even enjoy Jade's smile after that for a split second. There's already his mother's voice: "You're telling her that you love her? Beck!"

Beck and Jade turn and watch his parents coming inside through the back door from their back yard. Both look shocked at what they heard.

Beck rolls his eyes. "I..."

He doesn't get to say any more. While his father wasn't a fan of Jade, he seemed more okay with Beck being together with her than his wife did. He definitely doesn't like any of this.

He interrupts Beck: "It's not decent. Those words are for your soulmate, and your soulmate only."

And they can't even imagine Jade being his soulmate because they're so awful and judgemental.

No, he won't tell them. Because they don't deserve to know.

"Piss off," he only tells them, taking Jade's hand in his and leaving, pulling her with him. They walk out fast, walk into the direction of the movie theater and only slow down on the way there.

"Why didn't you tell them?" Jade asks after they've walked in silence for a while.

Why didn't he tell them that she was indeed his soulmate? Especially after they told him they didn't like her? She knows what his mother said about her – she didn't know that Beck didn't tell her afterwards that Jade was his soulmate, which would've probably made her shut up as she's one of those people believing there can be nothing wrong with a soulmate relationship. As if soulmates don't need couple's counseling sometimes or alike, as if their relationships always run smoothly all the way.

Beck comes to a halt, stopping Jade too. They turn to each other. "They critized you the first time they saw you. It shouldn't matter if you're my soulmate or not. It only should matter that I love you and want to be with you."

They look at each other for a moment, before Jade suddenly shoots forwards and kisses Beck in an almost desperate manner. Because that somehow means everything for her. He isn't together with her because she's his so-called soulmate and he doesn't use their soulmate-status to justify their relationship or anything. He's together with her because he loves her and wants to be with her.

.

.

She tells him later that she also hasn't really talked with her parents about the fact that they're soulmates, but they also haven't asked and don't care.

His parents meanwhile don't let go of the topic anymore. They constantly tell Beck off for telling Jade that he loves her, to even think about loving her. You can only love your soulmate in that certain way and... what will his soulmate think when they find out that he already said those words to that girl? And doesn't he know that he could start dreaming of them at any time? And that those dreams shouldn't be overshadowed by this awful girl?

He gets sick of it but he doesn't tell. They really don't deserve to know and why don't they want to see him happy?

He moves into the RV, three months into his relationship with Jade, just to not have his parents on his case all the time.

.

o

.

Their relationship has a lot of ups and downs. They're also broken up in between but mostly only for hours or like... three days at best.

This time it's different. This time it feels so damn final. They don't even see each other in their dreams for two weeks though they usually do once a week or sometimes even more often. Well, they've never met there when they were broken up.

Jade guesses they never will meet there again. This is it. This has been their oh so great soulmate relationship. It's over. She never heard or read about anything alike happening to others, but possibly, nobody dares talking about it.

Yes, she still loves him. But that doesn't matter. He doesn't want to be together with her, didn't come after her. Well, then he should run over and be together with one of those stupid other girls or whatever. She doesn't care anymore. She tells herself she doesn't care.

And then, she wakes up in that stupid room again. And Beck's standing in front of her with a stupid disgruntled look on his face, seeing her.

Great. She wants to insult him, to start another fight, but... she's can't. She feels exhausted and every second she keeps looking at him...

She sees his expression changing as well. From disgruntled to almost lost. And suddenly, they both step forward and hug each other tightly.

Jade hasn't felt this safe for two weeks – or possibly longer as they fought so much at the end of their relationship. Gosh, if she just could stay here forever, would never have to wake up, but be safe here...

.

It's nothing else. Just them hugging for forever, out of time and space. Then, it's morning and Jade wakes up by her alarm clock. She feels awful, waking up. Lost and empty. And it's on Beck. It's Beck's fault.

Beck's the one making her feel this lost. And how does he dare leave her, how does he dare break up with her, and then hold her like he just did? How does he dare make her feel that... safe, after being such an ass to her? How can he still be the person she feels safer with than anybody else, after he hurt her so badly?

She quickly riles herself up and gets so damn angry at that idiot. She feels pissed and obviously, as soon as she sees him in school, she has to shoot him a vile comment.

And he doesn't take it calmly, but insults her right back. He feels just as frustrated and pissed, especially now when they get going at each other again.

.

.

That's how it goes through their whole seperation. They meet roughly once a week in their dreams again and always just silently hug each other, only to be even more vicious to each other the next day.

Beck tries to kiss Tori almost out of spite, after they met again in their dreams – Jade does with Moose after another one of their meetings.

But they both come around. Without talking in their dreams, they realize that it was stupid to break up. They're both unhappy. And yes, they also were unhappy in between while being together, but mainly when they thought the other one was. And mainly, when they tried to be some perfect couple, when they listened to the people criticizing their relationship, saying it's unhealthy. It isn't unhealthy. Not when they can bicker like they want to, not when they behave true to themselves. It's perfect for them.

They get back together, more mature than before, both of them, also more secure in their relationship. They don't break up again.

.

o

.

Their friends sometimes wondered about Beck and Jade's relationship, but well... it seems to work for them for now.

Tori never thought too much about them. Today, she's thinking about Andre and his love life though. He came to school with the biggest grin today and when she asked him what it was about, he quietly told her that he dreamt of his soulmate for the first time.

Those are exciting news! She has to ask more about it throughout the day. Now, it's lunch and after some more questions, Andre tries to describe that first meeting, that noone really manages to describe, to the whole group. Tori can't imagine what it means to see another person and yet not see them. How it feels not to be able to get to them. She hasn't had those dreams yet.

Cat giggles at some point. "I so know what you mean," she says.

"You dreamt of your soulmate?" Tori checks.

"I do for a year now," Cat says happily.

Robbie feels the same as Tori: "I wish I knew what that's like."

"You'll do soon enough, I'm sure," Cat assures with Andre nodding: "And it will be awesome, I promise."

Tori smiles. Well, if Andre already feels like this after only one dream...

She turns to Beck and Jade who have listened without saying a word on the topic: "Have either of you already had those dreams?"

Jade raises her eyebrows. "Seriously?"

"I'm sorry," Tori's fast to say. "I know you normally don't ask..." Because you don't. Andre was even hesitant to tell Tori in the morning why he was so happy. Because you don't tell everyone of those dreams, especially not people who might not have met their soulmate in that way yet. And you definitely never ask if someone had that sort of dream yet. It's impolite. Though Tori would've never guessed that Jade cared about any of that.

Andre definitely also doesn't. Now with having had the first dream himself and knowing about Cat having had hers too, he's obviously curious. "Have you?"

Jade still has her eyebrows raised. Beck meanwhile looks almost a bit confused. And slowly, he answers: "Both of us had our first dream when we were five."

The group doesn't understand. "What?"

"Haven't you guessed?" Beck asks. "We're each other's soulmates."

"What? No!" That can't be true. Barely any soulmates meet that early in life.

Jade turns to Beck, dryly: "Will you believe me now that they're idiots?"

"I also didn't know," Cat knows to report, pouting at her best friend.

"Shocker," Jade comments with an eye roll.

"Why doesn't anybody know?" Robbie asks while Tori's still contemplating if they're messing with them.

"I didn't know that none of you knew," Beck says with a shrug. "But I guess there also never was a reason to tell."

Okay, Tori has to ask: "How can you be soulmates? You were broken up!"

"So?" Jade makes, glaring at her.

As if breaking up didn't show that they couldn't possibly be soulmates. Though the whole point of being soulmates is that you are perfect for each other and meant to be and why would you break up then?

"Why did you break up if you're soulmates?"

Jade simply answers: "Exactly because of that."

Beck puts his arm around her, them easily sitting close enough for him to do that, as he explains: "We never wanted to stay together because we were supposed to. We're together because we want to be."

Tori honestly likes that answer.

Andre meanwhile asks: "So, you met when you were five?"

Okay, that sounds weird. Meeting your soulmate that early? When you won't even... find them attractive or alike because you don't have that kind of feelings... When you can't feel a romantic kind of love yet. And Tori always thought that that love between soulmates was instant.

Beck shrugs. "Well, you had your first dream by now. Is it really meeting them?"

"Somehow," Andre responds and Tori really wishes she'd knew what all that was like, especially as Cat seems to consider that question as well.

Beck looks to Jade as he says: "We got a real look when we were about six, I guess."

Jade nods and of course their friends are more curious than that. Robbie asks: "Since when have you been able to talk to each other?"

"Since we were eleven," Jade says.

"That's amazing!" Robbie claims and Andre nods, while Cat asks curious: "How often do you dream of each other since you met?"

If she met her soulmate a year ago, she must know that she isn't meeting them all that often. But she must've heard that it changes. Though the amount of meeting them is different for every soulmate couple.

"About once a week probably?" Beck says but checking with Jade. They aren't exactly counting. They meet when they meet. Though they did notice one thing: "More often if we see less of each other during the week."

Which only wasn't true when they were seperated. Then, they saw each other less. But otherwise, they already see each other more in their dreams if during the week they only see each other in school and then spend the weekend together. As if they have to spend more than that, at least a few afternoons – or well, some night through their dreams.

Weirdly, it also happens that they meet in their dreams, when they actually spend their nights together. They make fun of it, fun of each other, claiming they find themselves in their space again because the other one couldn't get enough. They usually wake up at the same time in the mornings then and find that they feel as safe holding each other in reality as they do each time in their dreams.

They're not telling their friends that of course. Jade even has half in mind – as soon as the others exclaims that the amount of them meeting is awesome – to tell them that it wasn't for the time they were broken up. But she doesn't. It's none of their business how that time was, how they handled themselves and each other, how much they hated and loved being back in their space during that time.

"I can't believe this," Tori finally says. "That you never told..."

Andre tilts his head. "Well... I guess it's so natural for them, why should they have told? I mean... I can't help but be amazed and happy today. But if you had that kind of dream the first time with five... It's kind of old news, isn't it?"

Tori also guesses that could be true. Both Beck and Jade share a glance and shrug. Beck still deems the relationship with all of it as extremely special, his relationship to Jade, but yes, he's used to it. He's used to those dreams. At what point should he ever have told his friends, out of the blue?

And obviously, they never mentioned it, when anybody in school thought of saying something bad about their relationship and how they absolutely don't work. They would never use their soulmate status to justify the relationship. They don't need to justify their relationship at all.

Tori's meanwhile almost stunned. She never would've guessed they are soulmates. But suddenly, it makes sense. All of it.

No, their relationship isn't how she imagines soulmate relationship, how everyone does. But it always felt... like it fit. Somehow. Like something between them was always right.

.

o

.

A few months later, the group graduates from high school. And around the same time, Beck and Jade get engaged.

And finally, the topic of their parents knowing comes up again.

It's Jade who asks, after they celebrated their engagement physically in his RV, looking at the ring on her finger: "Will we tell our parents?"

They have to tell them about the engagement eventually. But will they do it right tomorrow or alike?

He's pushing a strand of loose hair out of her face, while he answers: "My parents won't like it."

They won't. But this time around, maybe Jade understands.

Marriage was once, a long time ago, for soulmates only. But it happened, due to war and famine, that many people died relatively young. And people who lost their soulmates young often found comfort in each other. They always said that they felt a special kind of love for each other as the other one at least understood all the pain they felt without their soulmates.

At one point in history, it was decided that you could marry someone other than your soulmate after you lost said soulmate.

And then, not that long ago, they opened up marriage for everyone, making it everyone's own decision to marry someone before your soulmate – though divorce still was much easier and quicker in those cases. Not many people marry anyone before their soulmate. Those are rare occasions. It's more common for people in their thirties or fourties who haven't started dreaming of their soulmate yet but feel in love with someone, who already lost theirs, or someone else, who can't wait to get married anymore. As marriage also gives you certain rights (getting to be with your spouse in the hospital even if they are unconcious and not able to agree as one of them), it's almost never only a desperate act to have what everyone else does.

As almost everyone weds their soulmate at one point, as it's absolutely uncommon to not marry your soulmate, marriage truly is something, everyone has in their lives – so, yes, desperation to have that too but not even having dreamed off your soulmate with fourty, is part of it too.

Jade knows how old school his parents are. They don't think anyone but soulmates should ever get married. With this thought, Jade guesses, her parents would agree. As they're also extremely young and if they believe, Beck and Jade aren't soulmates...

Slowly, she says: "Because they don't think I'm your soulmate." That's why his parents totally would get angry.

Beck looks at her disgruntled and wants to says something but she interrupts him before he can: "I know they shouldn't care. I get it. But they do care and why make them even more angry? They hate me as it is."

It's stupid that they hate her, just for being who she is and for Beck telling her he loves her. No, she never thought before that he should tell them they're soulmates. But now... Yes, why should they make them even more angry if they instead could pretty much force them to accept the engagement by finally telling them the whole story.

Beck's expression changes, still looking at her.

She knows he hates how much his parents hate her. And he feels so sorry for it.

It still takes him a moment, then he finally agrees: "Okay. We're gonna tell them."

.

.

They're telling Jade's parents first.

They're both home this weekend for a change. At least mostly. Right now they are and Beck and Jade find them both in the living room. Her mother's on a laptop and Jade's sure she's working, while her father reads a book.

She doesn't beat around the bush. As soon as the first greetings are exchanged and both her parents have at least glanced at them, she comes right out and says it: "We're engaged."

Wow. That's a quick way to get their attention.

Her mother's eyes widen as she looks at them. "You are?" She can't believe it.

Her father immediately says harshly: "You shouldn't marry someone who isn't your soulmate." He already rises from the couch, putting his book to the side, obviously making himself ready to fight.

Jade cocks an eyebrow, not impressed by her father's attitude. "Because marriages between soulmates are the perfect ones? Where are your soulmates then?"

Yes, she wants to hurt them and her mother, now also putting her laptop to the side, jumping up, promptly scolds: "Jade!"

She can't say anything more though as Jade calmly interrupts: "Don't start. He is my soulmate."

She feels Beck taking her hand in his. She squeezes it. It's a weird moment. Not only because of her parents but also... because she never said that Beck is her soulmate. She has thought so a thousand times, has thought about the fact that he is her soulmate, even back when she didn't knew his name. But this is the first time she has said it out loud. The first time she has called Beck her soulmate.

It's weird and somehow it warms her heart. She senses that it does Beck's too. He also has only called them each other's soulmates now once in front of their friends. It wasn't this direct and still also warmed their hearts back then.

"What?" her mother asks confused after she shared a glance with her husband.

Jade focuses on her: "You remember when I was seven and told you I've seen my soulmate? That was him."

Jade's father turns to her mother, while she seems speechless: "You never told me about that."

Of course she didn't. Her mother slowly explains why, still a little lost for words: "I... I thought he was a figment of your imagination."

Her eyes wander to Beck, Jade's father's do too.

"He was very much real," Jade answers.

"Why didn't you say something when you introduced us?" her mother questions, while her father has grown silent.

Jade shrugs. "Because I didn't think you'd care."

It's silent for a long moment after that, both of Jade's parents looking at her, then her mother finally turns to Beck and smiles tentatively: "Well... Then welcome into the family, Beck!"

She steps forward and hugs Beck who lets go of Jade's hand just in time.

He can't help but smile too. "Thanks." Somehow, being welcomed into Jade's family means everything for him.

.

.

They don't stay much longer, before they get on their way to Beck's parents.

Both know that that will be much tougher. Yes, Jade's father might be an ass about a lot of things and he also didn't congratulate them this time around, but he quickly accepted these news and understands that the engagement doesn't throw Jade back in her life. He meanwhile does believe that her engulfing in art does. That's why he's such an ass about it.

His parents meanwhile are... just awful about Jade in every sense. He doesn't think they'll turn that fast.

They don't say a word about it on the way. But both take deep breaths before they walk into his parents' home, hand in hand.

His parents are also both home and sitting on their couch but they're talking when Beck and Jade walk in.

They also share greetings, his parents stopping their conversation and directly turning their attention to their beloved son.

And Beck does it, just as Jade did: "We're engaged."

"No!" his mother immediately says, both her and her husband jumping up.

"Beck!" his father makes.

"This has to be a joke!" his mother adds. At the same time, his father says: "You won't marry her."

The anger already burns inside of him, but he tries to concentrate on Jade's hand in his and on the fact that yes, maybe them hating this idea isn't because they hate Jade so much, but because they would hate him marrying anyone but his soulmate.

That's why he takes a deep breath and then calmly states: "She's my soulmate."

"You have no idea what a soulmate is!" his mother promptly claims.

Beck needs to close his eyes for a moment, needs to concentrate again, to not blow up. He usually finds it easy to stay calm. Not though when he fights with Jade, because she knows how to push his buttons. And not when his parents talk about Jade, because it's horrible.

He shouldn't get into it right now. "We've met in out dreams ever since we were five years old."

"What?" his father says, not confused though but almost aggressive. He can't believe it. His mother obviously also can't.

Beck's voice rises as he says: "I've practically known her all my life. I love her more than anything else. And yes, she is my soulmate."

And they should know that. They should've realized it with the way he talk about her, how he always defends her. They should know how much he loves her. And if they believe only soulmate can truly love each other – heck, yes, they should've realized she is his soulmate. If they know him oh so well. But they know nothing.

"How can she be?" his mother questions, loud as well. "You never had those dreams!"

"Don't lie to us!" his father also says.

Seriously? "I'm not lying, you..." He wants to insult them but Jade, who's still holding his hand, is putting her other on his shoulder now, having turned to him.

He immediately stops talking, takes another deep breath, before he also turns to her: "Let's leave."

That's what they do. His parents don't even call after him and they walk into the RV and lock themselves in there.

.

He's angry and sometimes, he just needs to... devour Jade if that's the case. Not this time though. It's a different kind of anger, that practically makes him steam, that makes him blind. That makes him silent.

He sits down on the couch in his RV and crosses his arms in front of his chest, staring ahead. His mind is racing. How can his parents accuse him of lying about something like this? Why can't they see how much Jade means to him? Why are they such...

Jade lets him sit there for a while, sitting down next to him, playing on her phone. Only after a while, she speaks up again, as if she's decided she has given him enough time to cool down. "I get why they don't believe it."

He spins around to her. She can't be serious.

But she continues: "They'll think you would've told them sooner if it was true."

He looks at her for a moment. Well... That's somewhat reasonable. Why wouldn't they think that? After all the horrible things they said about Jade, of course they expect that Beck would've told them if there was anything to tell.

"You want me to talk to them again?"

Jade pulls him into a soft kiss, before she says: "Calmly."

Then, she kisses him again.

.

.

It's evening and Beck and Jade have spent their first whole day as an engaged couple mostly in the RV, after having told both their parents, and enjoyed each other.

Now, they have seen his parents coming back home. They probably ate out somewhere. They also saw them leave through a window.

And finally, Beck leaves the RV again and walks into his parents' home. Without Jade. Not because that's easier for him but maybe that's easier for his parents. Maybe, they won't get defensive themselves as soon as they see her.

It obviously still is fresh in their minds as well as his when he walks inside with them just settling back in their living room.

His parents share another look after they've seen him. Then, his mother softly asks, without another word being said before: "Beck, is she really your soulmate?"

He's sure they played out all the different possiblities and scenarios at dinner. If Beck told the truth and what that would mean. Or if he's lying and how they should handle that.

"She is," he confirms and would like to leave it at that because what more do they need? But he remembers Jade's words. "I didn't tell you because it was only for me and her until we met. And then you said so many bad things about her right away and I thought... you didn't deserve to know, not to mention that you should be happy that I'm happy, no matter who I'm with."

"You're happy with her?" his father questions. They don't believe it. Beck doesn't get it.

But maybe, he needs to say more. Maybe, he needs to appeal to what they know about their own soulmate relationship, what they know about those feelings.

That's why he says, speaking out of his heart: "I might not be happy around the clock but you know that your soulmate doesn't do that to you. But... I love her and feel safe with her. Sometimes, when we're somewhere together, she's the only person I see, even if there're other people around. Sometimes, we're in our space from our dreams though we're wide awake and in the middle of a crowd."

His parents share another glance. They must know that sensation.

Finally, his mother breathes: "I thought you're soulmate would be different."

Beck feels a weight lifting from his chest. They believe him. They finally know and understand the truth.

"You don't know Jade," he says, because that's it. They never wanted to get to know her, always hated on her.

"That's true," his father also agrees and adding, with a smile and a shrug all the same: "But we'll have a lifetime of getting to know her now, if she's willing."

"Congratulations on your engagement, Beck."

.

.

Jade's mother also pulls her aside the next day, when she finally comes home. Her father's gone for work again, though it's Sunday.

"I can't believe we didn't know about Beck," she says.

Jade doesn't have a response for that. Well, they never asked, that's the only thing she could say.

Her mother continues after a moment and no response by Jade: "It's such a special relationship. I'm glad you found it so early in life."

Jade believes her mother that. She is glad for her. Even happy.

Then, her mother asks: "Did you really think we wouldn't care about you finding your soulmate?"

Jade looks her in the eye and shrugs. It's not like her parents have ever shown much interest in her life. But now that she looks at her mother, she knows she cares. And her father does too.

Her mother steps forward, puts a hand in her neck and a kiss on her forhead. A gesture from when Jade has still been little.

"We love you, you know that?"

"I know." Because she does. She never doubted that.

.

.

That night, when she wants to get a glas of water before going to sleep, she finds her parents in the living room again, talking, all their attention on each other, smiling. She knows they don't have time. Especially her father has work to do, came home with more than when he went away that same morning.

Somehow, Jade has a feeling that this is about her. Finding out their daughter already met her soulmate, conciously thinking about soulmates again, made them remember somehow what it can be like. How it feels to be together like this, to take the time.

They actually remembered themselves what a special thing it is.

.

o

O

o

.

Few soulmates have a special sort of bond. Few soulmates are able to meet their significant other in their dreams, even after they died. It's proven that the same brain region reacts for those dreams as it does with the soulmate dreams while both are alive, so it's acknowledged that some people have that sort of bond, even if it was wildly believed to be a fantasy of few. Some people still get caught lying about it, pretending they still talk to their soulmates, even though they're dead, pretending they still meet them, though they don't.

Beck never spent a thought on it. It was rare and you couldn't influence it in any way, as far as it was known.

He can't believe when he opens his eyes and finds himself in their space again. And in front of him is no other than Jade.

It almost feels like the first time, decades and decades back, when he woke up in this room. It almost feels like the first time they were able to talk to each other. It almost feels like the first time they were able to touch each other, back after they met for real. It almost feels like how it was after they met here while they were seperated.

It feels like all of those times but so much better still. So much more special, with all those memories alongside it.

And before Beck knows it, they step up to each other and pull each other into a tight hug. He finally can touch her again, after a month without her. Can finally take her scent in again.

They hug for a long time, before he breathes: "I'm breaking apart." He does. He has been ever since she got sick. After loosing her...

Jade slightly breaks apart from him. "Don't be a wuss."

Her voice is rough and gosh, has he missed that voice. And has he missed the way she talked!

He snorts. "That comforts me."

He says it sarcastically, though this kind of does comfort him. Her being her usual self. Not to mention, seeing and feeling her again, healthy. And just there. With him. Though it also hurts him to no end.

Jade takes his face in her hands, putting her hands on his cheeks, while he still has his arms around her.

She looks him directly in his eyes as she says, her voice a bit softer. "I love you, Beck. I always will."

He takes a shaky breath and feels the tears forming in his eyes. It hurts so badly. "I wish it wasn't just a dream." All of this.

"You know it's not," Jade says. "This was always real. A bit different than reality, but real. It always will be."

She kisses him and he returns the kiss though it's not the same, not as magical as it has been every time they have kissed in real life. But it's more than nothing. It's so much more than he could've hoped for since she passed away a month earlier.

And no, this isn't enough. He wants her back so badly. But still... The thought of being able to meet her here even once in a while until he finally can follow her... To be able to draw in her scent, to hug her, to kiss her but mainly to talk to her... To tell her about their family, to get all the comments he'll know she'll make...

He knows she won't be able to talk about death. Just like they weren't able to say any specific about their lives when they first met here. But he also doesn't need to hear anything about it. He doesn't need to know what it's like. It's enough that he knows that he'll be with her one day. And it means the world to him that they still can be together like this every once in a while.

When they break apart from the kiss, Jade demands: "Tell me you still love me."

And he knows everything's alright. He'll get through everything. Because Jade's still with him, like always, like she has been since they have only been five years old.

"I've always loved you." In a way. Not like this. But the other person in this room has always made him feel safe and smile. He was always interested in her, absorbed by her. He always wanted to be the best for her.

The girl of his dreams. The love of his life. His soulmate.

"I always will."


End file.
